INDONESIA is sending its front-line Sukhoi jet fighters to take part in Australia's largest air combat exercise later this month, signalling a new era of enhanced defence co-operation.
The Indonesian air force has never given the Australian Defence Force access to the Russian-made aircraft, which were built to compete with the United States' fourth generation jet fighters.
But four of the Sukhoi SU-30s will be flown to the Northern Territory to take part in Exercise Pitch Black 2012, which will include mock combat battles with Australian FA-18s in Australian and Indonesian airspace.
US jet fighters will take part in the exercise, which will run from July 27 to August 17 and will be commanded from Darwin and Tindal air bases.

John Farrell, a military analyst, said the decision to send the Sukhoi fighters to Australia would bring defence co-operation between the ADF and Indonesian military to an unprecedented level.
''Indonesia has never before been prepared to send its primary air defence asset to a foreign nation,'' Mr Farrell, who publishes the Australian & NZ Defender Magazine, said.
''The fact they are sending them to Australia indicates that Canberra and Jakarta have looked up and seen much greater threats around them,'' he said, referring to China and India.